My news crush Keith Olbermann did it again. I love that he has the stage, has the facts, and isn't afraid to use them. I love that he can't hold back from showing us how incredulous and angry he is.
The saddest thing of all with all these Sarah Palin shenanigans is that, for some, they're kind of working. You could hear her pandering in the debate, you could hear her sidestepping questions and flinging out buzzwords. You can actually see her saying and doing the things that appeal to Americans that are scared and stupid and racist and narrow-minded, and her Gosh-darnit, heckuva Joe Six-pack, g-droppin' shtick is actually enough to hide her sleazy tactics from some of these people.
This campaign to me feels like high school all over again. On the one hand, you have the smart kid who would really love to make some changes in the school, who gets up at the school assembly and talks about how to make things better. On the other hand, you have the jackass who's running because he sees the whole thing as a popularity contest, and thinks that just being cute/funny/athletic (and calling the other guy a NERD) is enough to win... and when he sees he isn't winning, starts floating rumors that the other guy still wets the bed. It really is this ridiculous, people, and it shocks and saddens me that more people don't see through it.
In fact, I don't know who I feel more sorry for: The Republicans who are committed to voting with their party, and feel like they have to vote the McCain/Palin ticket even though they can see that the VP nominee is a vacuous sleazebag; Or the people who actually believe what she says, and think that she's doing a great job in this campaign. At least people in the first bucket are voting with a set of principles (regardless of how short-sighted and narrow minded I think they are).
The people in the last bucket are just as dumb as Palin is.
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Good enough isn't good enough
Listen.
Parents, educators, friends who care about the world. We have a very important job to do, so listen up.
I'll get to it in just a second, but I'm going to start by saying: I can't take Sarah Palin anymore. And it isn't just because I disagree with her politics, and it isn't just because I find the whole, "Yeah but she's a WOMAN" thing completely insulting to intelligent women everywhere (You mean, you have girl parts? I have girl parts! You've got my vote!).
I can't even take the jokes, and believe me, they're everywhere. Check out Mac's blog, for starters.
It's because she's really, really stupid. And she's the Vice Presidential nominee. THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, PEOPLE. She has been chosen to run for the second-highest office in the free world, and she insists that living close to Russia gives her foreign policy experience.
I couldn't even watch the whole Katie Couric interview, you guys, I couldn't take it. If you missed it, find it on You Tube.
The bigger problem in all this, my friends, is that it puts on display, for the whole world to see, just how little we value intelligence and education in the United States. You could argue that W did this for eight years as well, I suppose. But what we're seeing with Palin is a whole lot of Americans who identify with her, and think it's GREAT that she shows us that "anyone can be President."
NO! No, anyone can NOT be President! This is not okay! We're talking about the highest office in our country, the highest honor in our land, one of the hardest jobs in the world! The person who holds that job should, at a bare minimum, be really, really smart! And that person's second-in-command should be able to keep up.
So you see, my problem isn't with Palin as a politician, so much as it's with the fact that she can't even discuss the economy intelligently with Katie Couric, and yet nearly 50% of the country still think she's smart enough to be a capable vice president.
I'm not arguing with those people. I'm sure there are some who'd love to comment back at me about how Obama's whatever, and that's not what this is about. We'll all vote in November and see what happens.
Here's what it is about: Parents, educators, friends who care about the world, this is a giant red flag. We have a job to do, and we need to act now. To quote Tami Taylor on Friday Night Lights, "It's my job to make sure you don't grow up stupid. It's bad for the world."
Today's kids are growing up with philosophies very different from what I experienced as a child. They're hearing, "everyone is a winner," whereas I always thought that the winners were whoever, you know, actually won. Today, kids get encouragement no matter how they perform; they're somehow entitled to gold stars just for trying. I got encouragement when I tried too, sure, but I got gold stars when I got it right. I grew up with the motto, "Good enough isn't good enough," and knew at a very young age that if I wanted to be successful, it would require a lot of hard work and learning and sacrifice. Today's kids can look at someone like Sarah Palin and think, "If she can do it, I can do it," and skate by in a world that rewards mediocrity.
Again, I say: this is not okay! We need to encourage our children to do better, work harder, be smarter. We need to reward Excellence, not whatever they churn out. Teachers, that means not coddling kids who aren't doing their work--give them bad grades, and teach them so they do better next time. Professors, that means actually teaching and encouraging critical thinking--you can't just read from the text during class and give take home/open-book tests (true story, I actually paid for that class). And, yeah, parents, that'll mean turning off the TV and taking away the cell phone and monitoring their Internet use and checking their work and doing all kinds of things that might piss them off or make them dislike us for a little while. TOO BAD. Suck it up. We're the adults, we have to do it. I know my (future) kids won't like me sometimes. That's okay. I can take it, because I know they'll thank me later. They'll thank you, too, trust me.
It is our job to make sure our children don't grow up stupid. It's bad for the world.
Parents, educators, friends who care about the world. We have a very important job to do, so listen up.
I'll get to it in just a second, but I'm going to start by saying: I can't take Sarah Palin anymore. And it isn't just because I disagree with her politics, and it isn't just because I find the whole, "Yeah but she's a WOMAN" thing completely insulting to intelligent women everywhere (You mean, you have girl parts? I have girl parts! You've got my vote!).
I can't even take the jokes, and believe me, they're everywhere. Check out Mac's blog, for starters.
It's because she's really, really stupid. And she's the Vice Presidential nominee. THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, PEOPLE. She has been chosen to run for the second-highest office in the free world, and she insists that living close to Russia gives her foreign policy experience.
I couldn't even watch the whole Katie Couric interview, you guys, I couldn't take it. If you missed it, find it on You Tube.
The bigger problem in all this, my friends, is that it puts on display, for the whole world to see, just how little we value intelligence and education in the United States. You could argue that W did this for eight years as well, I suppose. But what we're seeing with Palin is a whole lot of Americans who identify with her, and think it's GREAT that she shows us that "anyone can be President."
NO! No, anyone can NOT be President! This is not okay! We're talking about the highest office in our country, the highest honor in our land, one of the hardest jobs in the world! The person who holds that job should, at a bare minimum, be really, really smart! And that person's second-in-command should be able to keep up.
So you see, my problem isn't with Palin as a politician, so much as it's with the fact that she can't even discuss the economy intelligently with Katie Couric, and yet nearly 50% of the country still think she's smart enough to be a capable vice president.
I'm not arguing with those people. I'm sure there are some who'd love to comment back at me about how Obama's whatever, and that's not what this is about. We'll all vote in November and see what happens.
Here's what it is about: Parents, educators, friends who care about the world, this is a giant red flag. We have a job to do, and we need to act now. To quote Tami Taylor on Friday Night Lights, "It's my job to make sure you don't grow up stupid. It's bad for the world."
Today's kids are growing up with philosophies very different from what I experienced as a child. They're hearing, "everyone is a winner," whereas I always thought that the winners were whoever, you know, actually won. Today, kids get encouragement no matter how they perform; they're somehow entitled to gold stars just for trying. I got encouragement when I tried too, sure, but I got gold stars when I got it right. I grew up with the motto, "Good enough isn't good enough," and knew at a very young age that if I wanted to be successful, it would require a lot of hard work and learning and sacrifice. Today's kids can look at someone like Sarah Palin and think, "If she can do it, I can do it," and skate by in a world that rewards mediocrity.
Again, I say: this is not okay! We need to encourage our children to do better, work harder, be smarter. We need to reward Excellence, not whatever they churn out. Teachers, that means not coddling kids who aren't doing their work--give them bad grades, and teach them so they do better next time. Professors, that means actually teaching and encouraging critical thinking--you can't just read from the text during class and give take home/open-book tests (true story, I actually paid for that class). And, yeah, parents, that'll mean turning off the TV and taking away the cell phone and monitoring their Internet use and checking their work and doing all kinds of things that might piss them off or make them dislike us for a little while. TOO BAD. Suck it up. We're the adults, we have to do it. I know my (future) kids won't like me sometimes. That's okay. I can take it, because I know they'll thank me later. They'll thank you, too, trust me.
It is our job to make sure our children don't grow up stupid. It's bad for the world.
if you're here, watch it
I have 5 friends who read this, right?
Wow, I hope there's at least 5. I mean, I know my mom reads it (hi, Mom!) and she's voting. So 5 people besides my mom, who read my blog... Could be a tall order. But if you're here, watch it.
Wow, I hope there's at least 5. I mean, I know my mom reads it (hi, Mom!) and she's voting. So 5 people besides my mom, who read my blog... Could be a tall order. But if you're here, watch it.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
smart, funny nutshell
If you haven't heard of Jay Smooth or the Ill Doctrine before now, you're in for a treat. I subscribe to his videos, and his most recent one hits on the head exactly how I'm feeling about our country's current economic crisis and it's jocks-are-better-than-nerds attitude towards smart people, just in general, all in one smart, funny nutshell.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Spread the word.
Attention: rock stars and ass kickers.
Spread the word.
I am hiring an Account Executive at Click Communications
- Someone in the LA area. I know, this limits us but we need to be able to send this person to weekly client meetings, so s/he has to be local.
- Someone who really gets PR. Not marketing, advertising, sales, or promotions, but PR. Yeah, there are some similarities, and I'm willing to look at people with backgrounds in related fields, but only if they truly understand what publicity is, and can convince me s/he's a super-quick study.
- Someone who really gets online. We get a lot of publicists that apply to work for us and have no idea how to work with online media. Or, they don't understand the volume of press partners we work with. A hint: it's WAY MORE than you think.
- Someone who is organized and works fast. Because of the volume of press we work with, and the volume of DVD titles we work on, an AE's email inbox can fill up fast. We're known for being super-responsive, so we need someone who isn't going to freak out when the inbox fills up. Everyone at Click manages a crazy email inbox, and gets all kinds of other things done at the same time. We need someone who can Keep Up.
- Someone hungry and committed. Everyone here at Click works their asses off and loves their jobs. It's kind of crazy, but it's also kind of fun when you really believe in what you're doing. We really believe we're the best at what we do, and we're willing to push for Excellence every day in order to make sure we stay that way. Some days are more intense than others. The last month has been crazy busy, I won't lie. BUT when things get nuts, here's what's good: everyone knows that everyone is in the same boat and is carrying their own weight--no slackers. Mac & I are completely approachable and do our best to help anyone who gets overwhelmed. We reward our staff often with Movie Hooky Fridays and various other fun social activities. We believe in personal days and vacations and Balance, and work closely with all of our staff to make sure they stay happy. Oh, and we pay pretty well. We're not Rockafellers over here or anything, but we pay really competitive salaries , at least compared to other PR shops in town (plus we offer medical/dental benefits, FSA & 401k).
Spread the word.
Monday, September 08, 2008
f**k
This was posted last week, but it's just one small reason why I frakking love Battlestar Galactica. 
(Other reasons: cute soldier boys, mind-blowing storylines, authentic reactions and relationships, sensational acting, kick-ass battles & action scenes, real emotion, and so much more.)
(Other reasons: cute soldier boys, mind-blowing storylines, authentic reactions and relationships, sensational acting, kick-ass battles & action scenes, real emotion, and so much more.)
Monday, September 01, 2008
bullets & updates
Happy Labor Day! Just a couple bullets & updates:
- I cracked the plasma in my Macbook a while ago, and finally got around to getting it fixed (being without a computer, cracks or no, is darn near impossible for me). The Apple stores, even the "unofficial" ones, wanted a stupid amount of cash to repair it. Like, just a couple hundred more and I could have a whole new computer instead of just a new screen. Ridiculous. But I was prepared to pay it because it had to be fixed, and I took it to the Genius Bar, and you know what they introduced me to?
- I saw House Bunny. As tired as I am of this whole, "Oh wait guys who aren't total douche trucks (and even some who are) actually LIKE smart girls who choose to be themselves over dim bulbs trying to be sexy?" message, I mean COME ON. The whole storyline is insulting. That said, get over it, and go see it anyway because it's also ridiculously funny. That Anna Faris is a comic genius. She wins the whole movie. And I can't stop saying people's names like I'm possessed now. (See the movie, you'll get it.) I really hope boob punching doesn't become a thing, though.
- Finally, my sister Matti sent me some fantastic CDs for my birthday, including a Monkey Mix that is brilliant and kicks off with this song, "Did Charlie Make a Monkey out of You?" sung by The Fischers. It is SHOCKING. It's this song, but it's sung by a child and includes an intro with a child pretending to be a snooty, British science professor teaching evolution, and includes a charming refrain of "wackadoo! wackadoo!" that's missing from this version. I don't know how she found this song, and I can appreciate its place on my mix (which is also part of a Darwin project she's working on), but the whole fact that these people are for real just makes me sad for humanity.
- Actual final note. My parents got to go to Invesco Field to see the last day of the DNC and said it was amazing. I am completely jealous.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
an Obama/Biden ticket, and a few questions
So I did some research on Barack Obama's running mate, Joe Biden. Here's what I found out:
Personally, I'm hoping we get some answers this week at the convention. I mean, Biden famously said that he didn't think Obama was ready to be Commander in Chief--a concern 42% of the country has as well. What does he say now, and why is he saying it? Will we get some answers behind this choice, or just sales? And what about Hillary? I honestly never expected her to be the choice, was never really convinced that she wanted the VP spot, and think it could have done the ticket more harm than good, in the end. Not that picking up all those votes wouldn't have been valuable, but she was way harder on Obama in the primaries than Biden ever was, and I don't know if some of that damage was reparable enough to put her on the ticket. Plus there's the suck-tastic reality that America just might not be ready for a ticket with both a black man and a woman on it. Which is awful to say, but these are the times and this is the country we live in. And, I mean, Vice President is not the only answer for Hillary Clinton. She is still a badass with a grand future in Washington--Secretary of State, Supreme Court Justice, people are throwing out all kinds of suggestions for her. She's not done kicking butt yet, not by long shot.
In the meantime, Democrats have an Obama/Biden ticket, and a few questions about it. Until we get some more answers/clarification, all we can do is speculate. Based on what I've read, heard and watched, it seems like the right choice for a Vice President is someone who balances the Presidential nominee. Someone whose personality is a good fit, but whose skills might fill in the blanks. I mean, that's what I do when I hire people. I look for experience that matches the job, skills that complement and balance out mine and my team's, and a personality I can get along with. I kind of like finding people that are different from me or the team, or that I might disagree with on different things, because I think it's healthy and ultimately more productive to be surrounded by people who aren't afraid to challenge the status quo. It's the different between George Lucas movies where he's surrounded by a variety of different people who are trusted to be good at what they do even when they don't have the exact same vision as him (original Star Wars trilogy), and George Lucas movies where he's only surrounded by sycophants dedicated to supporting and praising his one, singular vision (Star Wars prequels).
I digress, but the point is, you pick someone who balances you so you can do the best job possible, as a team. Presumably. So, based on preliminary research, a little speculation, and my own hiring practices, it looks like Biden was a pretty good idea.
I guess we'll see, huh?
My sources:
Wikipedia
The Washington Post
The Boston Globe
Official Joe Biden Site
YouTube
My friend kashe
- He's been a senator since he was 30, which is the youngest you can possibly be a senator. He was actually elected when he was 29.
- He's worked in Washington for 35 years.
- He's voted with Democrats over 96% of the time.
- He authored the Violence Against Women Act.
- He's one of the least wealthy Senators, with a net worth between $59,000 and $366,000, and commutes on the train to work every day.
- He's a long-time member of the Judiciary Committee and Foreign Relations Committee, and currently chairs the latter.
- Is considered by many (Democrats) to be a foreign policy expert.
- He originally voted for the War in Iraq, supported it longer than most Democrats, and is now opposed to it.
- His son is being deployed to Iraq this fall.
- He says things. Sometimes they are awesome. Sometimes not so much.
Personally, I'm hoping we get some answers this week at the convention. I mean, Biden famously said that he didn't think Obama was ready to be Commander in Chief--a concern 42% of the country has as well. What does he say now, and why is he saying it? Will we get some answers behind this choice, or just sales? And what about Hillary? I honestly never expected her to be the choice, was never really convinced that she wanted the VP spot, and think it could have done the ticket more harm than good, in the end. Not that picking up all those votes wouldn't have been valuable, but she was way harder on Obama in the primaries than Biden ever was, and I don't know if some of that damage was reparable enough to put her on the ticket. Plus there's the suck-tastic reality that America just might not be ready for a ticket with both a black man and a woman on it. Which is awful to say, but these are the times and this is the country we live in. And, I mean, Vice President is not the only answer for Hillary Clinton. She is still a badass with a grand future in Washington--Secretary of State, Supreme Court Justice, people are throwing out all kinds of suggestions for her. She's not done kicking butt yet, not by long shot.
In the meantime, Democrats have an Obama/Biden ticket, and a few questions about it. Until we get some more answers/clarification, all we can do is speculate. Based on what I've read, heard and watched, it seems like the right choice for a Vice President is someone who balances the Presidential nominee. Someone whose personality is a good fit, but whose skills might fill in the blanks. I mean, that's what I do when I hire people. I look for experience that matches the job, skills that complement and balance out mine and my team's, and a personality I can get along with. I kind of like finding people that are different from me or the team, or that I might disagree with on different things, because I think it's healthy and ultimately more productive to be surrounded by people who aren't afraid to challenge the status quo. It's the different between George Lucas movies where he's surrounded by a variety of different people who are trusted to be good at what they do even when they don't have the exact same vision as him (original Star Wars trilogy), and George Lucas movies where he's only surrounded by sycophants dedicated to supporting and praising his one, singular vision (Star Wars prequels).
I digress, but the point is, you pick someone who balances you so you can do the best job possible, as a team. Presumably. So, based on preliminary research, a little speculation, and my own hiring practices, it looks like Biden was a pretty good idea.
I guess we'll see, huh?
My sources:
Wikipedia
The Washington Post
The Boston Globe
Official Joe Biden Site
YouTube
My friend kashe
Monday, August 25, 2008
all I know
I owe so many updates. Insanity reigns in my world right now, but I've tasered it and gotten a rope around its neck, and just have to get it all properly wrangled and tamed before I can get back to normal.
In the meantime, I heart Michelle Obama, and I'm watching DNC speeches all week long. That's all I know. Oh! And I don't know that much about Biden, (I'm embarrassed to say) and haven't had a chance to do my own proper research on him yet. Any scoop or suggestions on where to find scoop on him would be much appreciated!
That Obama family really couldn't be cuter.
In the meantime, I heart Michelle Obama, and I'm watching DNC speeches all week long. That's all I know. Oh! And I don't know that much about Biden, (I'm embarrassed to say) and haven't had a chance to do my own proper research on him yet. Any scoop or suggestions on where to find scoop on him would be much appreciated!
That Obama family really couldn't be cuter.
Thursday, August 07, 2008
I LOVE THIS SHOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!
You should know that I started tearing up, yelling, and squealing with glee pretty much at the start of the So You Think You Can Dance finale, and never quite stopped.
Cat did NOT wear a brown train wreck to the finale this year, and instead decided to go with an old stand-by look for her: A MILLION BUCKS. Damn, girl.
Hi Top 20! Hi hi hi! Oh, I missed (some of) you! It's so much fun to see you all together again! And a Shane Sparks routine to boot. Hurray!! And, I mean, did you SEE the thing with Gev, like, wiggling his way under all 10 girls? Holy buckets of awesome Batman!
Nigel's favorite - Bollywood: Well of course he's going to pick this, with his whole, "Oh my show is SO AWESOME and international, didn't you know?" But, whatever, y'all know I can't get enough of these two, and it's a fun routine.
Mary's favorite - Rhumba: Ah, yes. The butt-grabbing dance, I remember it well. That Courtney & Gev are just as sweet & sexy together as ever.
Plus, I mean, you KNOW there's nothing I love better than a dance-off--it's kind of why I love this show so hard. So you know how much I loved the popping battle, right? SO MUCH. Personally, though, I'm with Mia (shocker)--I thought Phillip was better. And, um, if I could get some kind of audio bite of L'il C saying, "That was Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck" that I can play whenever I, like, finish a proposal or report or something, that would be fantastic, thanks.
Adam's favorite - Hip Hop: I loved this one too! Comfort and Twitch should always dance hip hop together, they're way too much fun to watch. That said, I love how Adam gave a big shout out to Step Up 2's John Chu and Adam Sevani (holla!!), and he's doing A 3-D DANCE MOVE STEP UP 3-D WHO'S GOING WITH ME OPENING WEEKEND. Comment here to sign up. We'll dress in head-to-toe Capezio and bedazzle our 3-D glasses and have ever so much fun. (And, yes, probably have cocktails before hand. I know there won't be a plot.)
And YEAH AC/DC totally kicked M&M's dance bootay all over the YouTubes, y'all.
L'il C's favorite - Hip Hop: "It's so hard to choose," he says. Uh, how about picking the two dancers already on stage in costume, and have them do the number they're prepared to do? I kid, I kid! This was the one that sold me on Chelsie & Mark forever, and she just goes and breaks my heart all over again here. It's still so, so good.
OH MY GOD Y'ALL MARY MURPHY'S DANCING! SHE'S DANCING WITH DMITRY AND SHE'S SO AWESOME AND ADORABLE I CAN'T STAND IT! Eeeee! She's having so much fun and she's so fantastic and adorable and I can't deal. This might be the most delightful thing this show has ever done to me. Mary, all over Dmitry, shaking her fringe, flashing that gigawatt smile (it's so much less scary and more fabulous when she's dancing, isn't it?) I might cry, this is so fabulous. Mary, this is for you: WOOOOOOO!
Like I warned you at the top, this recap will be a bunch of crying and yelling. I have to give you an idea of what's going on in my living room, don't I?
Mia's favorite - Pas de Deux: With Katee & Will. Not at all surprisingly, she picked the two most proficient dancers doing the most beautiful, difficult routine. This was one of my top season favorites as well, though. So beautiful, and such a treat to see it again. AND THEY NAIL IT! THEY NAILED THE LIFT THEY MISSED THE FIRST TIME!! Oh, they can't even contain their smiles, they know they nailed it. And everyone is standing up, and Debbie's there for him, oh, I'm choked up again.
You guys!
Adam's favorite - Jazz: Courtney & Mark's funky Sonja routine. It's so weird to watch after the exquisite pas de deux, but it's still fun. This number has really grown on me as well, in repeat viewings. I can appreciate the technique, I think, a little more than I did the first time around too.
3rd runner up: Courtney. No surprise here. I love her, but I think 4th place in this tough competition is an amazing achievement for her. (Those flowers are bigger than she is, dude!) Bless her sweet little heart. Well done, adorable girl.
Five guys named Moe: With the top 5 guys. I loved it the first time, I like it again. These guys are completely adorable and awesome.
We now pause this program to have some creepy Donnie Darko rabbits do a plug for Cirque du Soleil in Vegas. Then again, Cirque + Criss Angel? I think Wade Robson has found the perfect home for his weird, darkly awesome choreography.
2nd runner up: Katee. Oh, honey. I wanted you to get 2nd place, at least. You have been such a sensational joy to watch all season. And $50,000WHAT! That's awesome! Oh, look, she can't even deal! Yay I'm so happy they've done this, what a phenomenal surprise!!! Yay Katee!!!
Oh, and this means I might be right about the "Want it to be Joshua, but it will probably be Twitch" theory. Oh, dear.
That Debbie Allen is just expressing so much of what I love about this show just exquisitly and perfectly. I love her. Even if she is plugging the Debbie Allen Dance Academy. Because lookit! Cute young tappers! Loves it!! They're sensational!! AND NOW NIGEL'S DANCING! NIGEL'S HOOFIN' Y'ALL! Oh, this is so fantastic. and getting all shown up by the young kid, and doing the call-outs. It's so much fun dancing on one stage, I just continue to be awed and delighted.
Debbie: "Everyone on this panel should be required to dance." YYYYYESSSSSSSSS!!!!!!
Mary's favorite - Contemporary: Oh, the door dance. With Katee & Twitch. I liked this, but I still think this number is all about drama, props, Katee being a badass, and Twitch doing a whole lotta standing. I don't get what all the rest of the fuss is about. Emmy for Mia? Sure, love her, she deserves 'em. For this? Eh.
The Jonas Brothers: Fast-forward. Wow, they are really awful, aren't they?
Debbie's favorite - waltz: Oh, the "Touched by an Angel" piece Jean Marc choreographed for his daughter, with Twitchington. I had a feeling we'd be seeing this again. And it's just as lovely as ever. Tears pricking my eyes again. SIGH.
MY favorite: Debbie Allen taking the piss out of L'il C. How are you making me love y'all EVEN MORE? I can't take it.
Nigel's favorite - Hip Hop: "No Air." YES. Yes, I loved this routine. This was from the first Top 20 show. I remember, I fell in love with these two as a couple with this first number, and they kept making me love them over and over again with every subsequent number.
Oh, I so very much want to Josh to win, this is going to break my heart isn't it??
Hi past season people! Look how cute y'all are! Allison, so grown up! Donyelle, as sweet and fab as ever. Hi Travis! Hi Benji! Hi everyone! (WHERE'S SABRA?? Hmm.) But hi hi hi!
And they're going to dance for us! To "Please Don't Stop the Music," a song I bought from iTunes when I first saw them do a dance at the Idol Gives Back thingy. I had to watch that on on YouTube, so yay! Fresh routine in high def on my big-ass TV! Look how much better they've gotten, too! And now they're dancing with the Top 20! Fun fun!
Oh, my heart. I love this show so much. I know, I've said it a gazillion times already, I just. I do! I love it so much!!!
And JOSHUA WINS!!! JOSHUA WINS!!! JOSHUA WINS!!! JOSHUA WINS!!! JOSHUA WINS!!! YYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!! I can't believe it! I'm so stinking happy! Katee got $50k and Joshua won it's the best possible result Eeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!
I LOVE THIS SHOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!
THANK YOU so much to everyone who's been reading my SYTYCD blogs this past season! I can't hardly believe how many of y'all are reading these recaps, and I appreciate all your thoughtful comments and everything. Thank you and goodnight!
Cat did NOT wear a brown train wreck to the finale this year, and instead decided to go with an old stand-by look for her: A MILLION BUCKS. Damn, girl.
Hi Top 20! Hi hi hi! Oh, I missed (some of) you! It's so much fun to see you all together again! And a Shane Sparks routine to boot. Hurray!! And, I mean, did you SEE the thing with Gev, like, wiggling his way under all 10 girls? Holy buckets of awesome Batman!
Nigel's favorite - Bollywood: Well of course he's going to pick this, with his whole, "Oh my show is SO AWESOME and international, didn't you know?" But, whatever, y'all know I can't get enough of these two, and it's a fun routine.
Mary's favorite - Rhumba: Ah, yes. The butt-grabbing dance, I remember it well. That Courtney & Gev are just as sweet & sexy together as ever.
Plus, I mean, you KNOW there's nothing I love better than a dance-off--it's kind of why I love this show so hard. So you know how much I loved the popping battle, right? SO MUCH. Personally, though, I'm with Mia (shocker)--I thought Phillip was better. And, um, if I could get some kind of audio bite of L'il C saying, "That was Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck" that I can play whenever I, like, finish a proposal or report or something, that would be fantastic, thanks.
Adam's favorite - Hip Hop: I loved this one too! Comfort and Twitch should always dance hip hop together, they're way too much fun to watch. That said, I love how Adam gave a big shout out to Step Up 2's John Chu and Adam Sevani (holla!!), and he's doing A 3-D DANCE MOVE STEP UP 3-D WHO'S GOING WITH ME OPENING WEEKEND. Comment here to sign up. We'll dress in head-to-toe Capezio and bedazzle our 3-D glasses and have ever so much fun. (And, yes, probably have cocktails before hand. I know there won't be a plot.)
And YEAH AC/DC totally kicked M&M's dance bootay all over the YouTubes, y'all.
L'il C's favorite - Hip Hop: "It's so hard to choose," he says. Uh, how about picking the two dancers already on stage in costume, and have them do the number they're prepared to do? I kid, I kid! This was the one that sold me on Chelsie & Mark forever, and she just goes and breaks my heart all over again here. It's still so, so good.
OH MY GOD Y'ALL MARY MURPHY'S DANCING! SHE'S DANCING WITH DMITRY AND SHE'S SO AWESOME AND ADORABLE I CAN'T STAND IT! Eeeee! She's having so much fun and she's so fantastic and adorable and I can't deal. This might be the most delightful thing this show has ever done to me. Mary, all over Dmitry, shaking her fringe, flashing that gigawatt smile (it's so much less scary and more fabulous when she's dancing, isn't it?) I might cry, this is so fabulous. Mary, this is for you: WOOOOOOO!
Like I warned you at the top, this recap will be a bunch of crying and yelling. I have to give you an idea of what's going on in my living room, don't I?
Mia's favorite - Pas de Deux: With Katee & Will. Not at all surprisingly, she picked the two most proficient dancers doing the most beautiful, difficult routine. This was one of my top season favorites as well, though. So beautiful, and such a treat to see it again. AND THEY NAIL IT! THEY NAILED THE LIFT THEY MISSED THE FIRST TIME!! Oh, they can't even contain their smiles, they know they nailed it. And everyone is standing up, and Debbie's there for him, oh, I'm choked up again.
You guys!
Adam's favorite - Jazz: Courtney & Mark's funky Sonja routine. It's so weird to watch after the exquisite pas de deux, but it's still fun. This number has really grown on me as well, in repeat viewings. I can appreciate the technique, I think, a little more than I did the first time around too.
3rd runner up: Courtney. No surprise here. I love her, but I think 4th place in this tough competition is an amazing achievement for her. (Those flowers are bigger than she is, dude!) Bless her sweet little heart. Well done, adorable girl.
Five guys named Moe: With the top 5 guys. I loved it the first time, I like it again. These guys are completely adorable and awesome.
We now pause this program to have some creepy Donnie Darko rabbits do a plug for Cirque du Soleil in Vegas. Then again, Cirque + Criss Angel? I think Wade Robson has found the perfect home for his weird, darkly awesome choreography.
2nd runner up: Katee. Oh, honey. I wanted you to get 2nd place, at least. You have been such a sensational joy to watch all season. And $50,000WHAT! That's awesome! Oh, look, she can't even deal! Yay I'm so happy they've done this, what a phenomenal surprise!!! Yay Katee!!!
Oh, and this means I might be right about the "Want it to be Joshua, but it will probably be Twitch" theory. Oh, dear.
That Debbie Allen is just expressing so much of what I love about this show just exquisitly and perfectly. I love her. Even if she is plugging the Debbie Allen Dance Academy. Because lookit! Cute young tappers! Loves it!! They're sensational!! AND NOW NIGEL'S DANCING! NIGEL'S HOOFIN' Y'ALL! Oh, this is so fantastic. and getting all shown up by the young kid, and doing the call-outs. It's so much fun dancing on one stage, I just continue to be awed and delighted.
Debbie: "Everyone on this panel should be required to dance." YYYYYESSSSSSSSS!!!!!!
Mary's favorite - Contemporary: Oh, the door dance. With Katee & Twitch. I liked this, but I still think this number is all about drama, props, Katee being a badass, and Twitch doing a whole lotta standing. I don't get what all the rest of the fuss is about. Emmy for Mia? Sure, love her, she deserves 'em. For this? Eh.
The Jonas Brothers: Fast-forward. Wow, they are really awful, aren't they?
Debbie's favorite - waltz: Oh, the "Touched by an Angel" piece Jean Marc choreographed for his daughter, with Twitchington. I had a feeling we'd be seeing this again. And it's just as lovely as ever. Tears pricking my eyes again. SIGH.
MY favorite: Debbie Allen taking the piss out of L'il C. How are you making me love y'all EVEN MORE? I can't take it.
Nigel's favorite - Hip Hop: "No Air." YES. Yes, I loved this routine. This was from the first Top 20 show. I remember, I fell in love with these two as a couple with this first number, and they kept making me love them over and over again with every subsequent number.
Oh, I so very much want to Josh to win, this is going to break my heart isn't it??
Hi past season people! Look how cute y'all are! Allison, so grown up! Donyelle, as sweet and fab as ever. Hi Travis! Hi Benji! Hi everyone! (WHERE'S SABRA?? Hmm.) But hi hi hi!
And they're going to dance for us! To "Please Don't Stop the Music," a song I bought from iTunes when I first saw them do a dance at the Idol Gives Back thingy. I had to watch that on on YouTube, so yay! Fresh routine in high def on my big-ass TV! Look how much better they've gotten, too! And now they're dancing with the Top 20! Fun fun!
Oh, my heart. I love this show so much. I know, I've said it a gazillion times already, I just. I do! I love it so much!!!
And JOSHUA WINS!!! JOSHUA WINS!!! JOSHUA WINS!!! JOSHUA WINS!!! JOSHUA WINS!!! YYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!! I can't believe it! I'm so stinking happy! Katee got $50k and Joshua won it's the best possible result Eeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!
I LOVE THIS SHOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!
THANK YOU so much to everyone who's been reading my SYTYCD blogs this past season! I can't hardly believe how many of y'all are reading these recaps, and I appreciate all your thoughtful comments and everything. Thank you and goodnight!
a little miracle on stage
So You Think You Can Dance Competition Finale!
Oh, summer love. Is it over already? How can it be? I haven't even met Cat yet! Oh, fine, let's get cracking. I'm running a little late tonight because I just had to go see Eddie Izzard at the Kodak. I know, my life is hard.
Courtney & Twitch, hip hop: Mac & I were all Yay! when this song came on ("Church," T-Pain ft Teddy Verseti), because we were just listening to it in the car, because we seriously can't stop listening to the Step Up 2 soundtrack. The routine is adorable, musical and fun, and both of these dancers work it hard and commit to their characters and the dance. Awesome.
Courtney, solo: Courtney has grown so much in this competition, and she's just so darn loveable and adorable. I can totally see why she's here in the top four. It's impossible not to love her sweetness and joy, and she just throws herself into every dance. And, yeah, I might have gotten a little teary during the judges comments for her. What? I'm not made of stone, y'all.
Cat looks sensational. Love the hair, love the dress, love everything.
Katee & Joshua, Wade Robson: Do you like how they don't even try to qualify his choreography as "contemporary" or "jazz" anymore? As for this routine. Wow. The sharp, angular movements contrast so neatly with the strummy song, and they dance it so, so well. They commit so much to the emotion in this number that it just feels really authentic, and their movement is precise and executed so perfectly without feeling studied.... The judges really said it all. These two are a little miracle on stage.
I already know I'm going to save this episode for months just so I can watch at least the first two dances over and over again.
Courtney & Katee, Broadway: With Tyce! And there he goes with a parasol! Love him. As for the routine, I'm not crazy about the goofy costumes. And it's a cute routine, but it seems a little uneven? They're not synchronized very well to me. It's kind of like they're having a lot of fun, but trying to get away with Cute more than Dance. On the other hand, I like cute and fun. So I guess the tongue bath the judges are giving them is okay.
Twitch, solo: The thing is, when he just stares into the camera and smiles, with those cheeks, I just want to hug him to bits & pieces. And he remains a fun, entertaining, musical, and talented dancer.
Joshua & Twitch, Russian: Oh, my god these two are TOO CUTE. They're like brothers, with the constant bickering & one-upping. The routine is a fun concept, but a little too much standing around and clapping for me. That said when they actually have to dance together it's really fun. And I suppose with that much leaping and spinning, a guy can use a clap break. These guys are amazingly athletic performers.
Katee, solo: Well, Hide & Seek has been done to death, but otherwise this is a crazy solo. It's manic and passionate and packing all her skill into a tiny amount of time. I'm with Mary on this, most of my favorite numbers from this season have been Katee's. She's phenomenal.
Katee & Twitch, Foxtrot: And the smack-talk between Twitch & Joshua continues. The music and choreography are so great here. But Katee is showing up Twitch a lot. Giant lift aside, characterization aside, he was a little too stiff for me. I wanted it to feel more elegant and effortless, and I felt like I could kind of see the pole shoved up his butt. The judges... WTF? Are they done critiquing this season? Or are they just selling us Twitch? Not even Mary is going to critique? BAH! I call shenanigans.
Joshua, solo: First, Cat making fun of Joshua for how much he cries is hilarious and awesome. Second, this guy is such a superior hip hop dancer. Jumping over to the judge's stage was a little gimmicky and a little clever, and I'll allow it because he danced his fabulous big booty off when he got there. I love this guy. I just love him. If I'd watched it within the voting window, this would have been my vote.
I love how the boys are sweating all over Cat and her coutour, and she just doesn't even care.
Courtney & Joshua, Jive: With that cute Australian choreographer. Hi there. And I love a little Dirty Boogie. I was kind of worried about the footwork, particularly Josh's, at the beginning, but about halfway through these two really started nailing it. If I could pick any kind of dance to learn and just do for fun myself, this is exactly the dance I'd pick. Maybe not with as many leaps & tricks, but yeah. So damn much fun, and these two were fantastic.
Final Four, Contemporary: Well this is just a treat, at this point. I just love the dancers, and I love the show, and now I'm as bad as the judges. Forgive me, I'm just a sap and I don't care who knows it. Seeing these four dancing so hard as a unit, after everything they've been through tonight... and it's such a joyful celebration. Watching this reminded me of what it was like to watch women cross the finish line at my triathlon. It was like a magical sprint to the finish.
So now it's just a matter of the votes, here at the end. The judges are still selling Twitch too hard, and I'm over it. I have no idea who's going to win this, y'all. I feel like it's going to come down to Josh vs Twitch, and we'll get to see how much people responded to the selling of this whole Twitch story. I think it *should* be Joshua & Katee, with Joshua winning, but I'm not convinced that will happen. If a girl wins, no one will be more surprised than me. I adore them both to pieces, but I'd still be surprised.
We'll see we'll see, eh?
Oh, summer love. Is it over already? How can it be? I haven't even met Cat yet! Oh, fine, let's get cracking. I'm running a little late tonight because I just had to go see Eddie Izzard at the Kodak. I know, my life is hard.
Courtney & Twitch, hip hop: Mac & I were all Yay! when this song came on ("Church," T-Pain ft Teddy Verseti), because we were just listening to it in the car, because we seriously can't stop listening to the Step Up 2 soundtrack. The routine is adorable, musical and fun, and both of these dancers work it hard and commit to their characters and the dance. Awesome.
Courtney, solo: Courtney has grown so much in this competition, and she's just so darn loveable and adorable. I can totally see why she's here in the top four. It's impossible not to love her sweetness and joy, and she just throws herself into every dance. And, yeah, I might have gotten a little teary during the judges comments for her. What? I'm not made of stone, y'all.
Cat looks sensational. Love the hair, love the dress, love everything.
Katee & Joshua, Wade Robson: Do you like how they don't even try to qualify his choreography as "contemporary" or "jazz" anymore? As for this routine. Wow. The sharp, angular movements contrast so neatly with the strummy song, and they dance it so, so well. They commit so much to the emotion in this number that it just feels really authentic, and their movement is precise and executed so perfectly without feeling studied.... The judges really said it all. These two are a little miracle on stage.
I already know I'm going to save this episode for months just so I can watch at least the first two dances over and over again.
Courtney & Katee, Broadway: With Tyce! And there he goes with a parasol! Love him. As for the routine, I'm not crazy about the goofy costumes. And it's a cute routine, but it seems a little uneven? They're not synchronized very well to me. It's kind of like they're having a lot of fun, but trying to get away with Cute more than Dance. On the other hand, I like cute and fun. So I guess the tongue bath the judges are giving them is okay.
Twitch, solo: The thing is, when he just stares into the camera and smiles, with those cheeks, I just want to hug him to bits & pieces. And he remains a fun, entertaining, musical, and talented dancer.
Joshua & Twitch, Russian: Oh, my god these two are TOO CUTE. They're like brothers, with the constant bickering & one-upping. The routine is a fun concept, but a little too much standing around and clapping for me. That said when they actually have to dance together it's really fun. And I suppose with that much leaping and spinning, a guy can use a clap break. These guys are amazingly athletic performers.
Katee, solo: Well, Hide & Seek has been done to death, but otherwise this is a crazy solo. It's manic and passionate and packing all her skill into a tiny amount of time. I'm with Mary on this, most of my favorite numbers from this season have been Katee's. She's phenomenal.
Katee & Twitch, Foxtrot: And the smack-talk between Twitch & Joshua continues. The music and choreography are so great here. But Katee is showing up Twitch a lot. Giant lift aside, characterization aside, he was a little too stiff for me. I wanted it to feel more elegant and effortless, and I felt like I could kind of see the pole shoved up his butt. The judges... WTF? Are they done critiquing this season? Or are they just selling us Twitch? Not even Mary is going to critique? BAH! I call shenanigans.
Joshua, solo: First, Cat making fun of Joshua for how much he cries is hilarious and awesome. Second, this guy is such a superior hip hop dancer. Jumping over to the judge's stage was a little gimmicky and a little clever, and I'll allow it because he danced his fabulous big booty off when he got there. I love this guy. I just love him. If I'd watched it within the voting window, this would have been my vote.
I love how the boys are sweating all over Cat and her coutour, and she just doesn't even care.
Courtney & Joshua, Jive: With that cute Australian choreographer. Hi there. And I love a little Dirty Boogie. I was kind of worried about the footwork, particularly Josh's, at the beginning, but about halfway through these two really started nailing it. If I could pick any kind of dance to learn and just do for fun myself, this is exactly the dance I'd pick. Maybe not with as many leaps & tricks, but yeah. So damn much fun, and these two were fantastic.
Final Four, Contemporary: Well this is just a treat, at this point. I just love the dancers, and I love the show, and now I'm as bad as the judges. Forgive me, I'm just a sap and I don't care who knows it. Seeing these four dancing so hard as a unit, after everything they've been through tonight... and it's such a joyful celebration. Watching this reminded me of what it was like to watch women cross the finish line at my triathlon. It was like a magical sprint to the finish.
So now it's just a matter of the votes, here at the end. The judges are still selling Twitch too hard, and I'm over it. I have no idea who's going to win this, y'all. I feel like it's going to come down to Josh vs Twitch, and we'll get to see how much people responded to the selling of this whole Twitch story. I think it *should* be Joshua & Katee, with Joshua winning, but I'm not convinced that will happen. If a girl wins, no one will be more surprised than me. I adore them both to pieces, but I'd still be surprised.
We'll see we'll see, eh?
Monday, August 04, 2008
Two kinds of adorable side by side
You've all already watched the dancing and the results, so I'm just going to work this out for my own benefit.
Courtney & Mark, Waltz: Lovely. Great partnering, good character, lovely lines. I feel like these two have both really grown, and it's a pleasure to see the results of that growth in this dance.
1. Chelsie, solo: That dress, with the diamante boobs and the fluorescent green fringe is hideous, but her dancing is sensational, as always.
2. Twitch, solo: Gimmicky, but strong. Whatever weakness he's shown historically with other styles, he's strong, clever and musical in his solos.
Cat, though. You do not need to taste Twitch's spit to convince me that you are the World's Most Adorable Host EVER. I mean, that was funny & all? But. Damn, girl.
Katee & Joshua, Contemporary: With my old friend, Tasty. It's brilliant. They're both strong, lyrical, musical, and totally committed to the dance. The lifts in this are crazy hard, too. I worry that people will miss just how good these two are, when they make difficult routines like this look so easy. One of my favorite dances so far this season.
Chelsie & Twitch, Mambo: Chelsie is flat-out carrying Twitch in this routine, and he is doing that thing where, what he lacks in technique, he makes up in style. He telegraphs every hold and every turn, he made a face when he screwed up, he's kind of a mess. The judges let him off easy, because it was difficult? I don't get it. There were hardly any lifts, and for a TOP SIX DANCER he should be doing a pretty basic routine a bit more than "respectably" at this point.
Dear jidges,
Could you take a break from kissing the ass of every choreographer on the planet, and praising your own damn show for 2 seconds to actually, you know, critique the dancers?
Thanks!
D
(Yeah, Amy, you weren't kidding about them. It's really rather obnoxious.)
3. Katee, solo: Oh, Katee. You are just full of joy and awesomeness, and you're just trying to spread it all over the stage when you dance.
4. Joshua, solo: It's like he's trying to just give us examples of everything he can do: jumps, turns, breaking, popping, the works. Dude. You can do anything. I believe you.
Courtney & Mark, jazz: Ugh. With Sonja. Which... it's better than her past routines. Kind of fun, actually. She created good characters, and the couple really dove into them, which made it fun to watch. I wish, hmm. I thought it was fun, but I didn't really see the difficulty for the dancers? I think they did it really well, but I feel like the routine was a bit of a softball for them. (Jazz dancers, feel free to tell me what's up.)
Raise your hand if you think the judges are maybe trying to sell us Sonja as our Wade Robson replacement this season?
Kateee & Joshua, Paso Doble: OMG CHILLS!!! That was amazing!! That's it. Top two dancers, RIGHT HERE. This routine rocked my world. Oh, and a note to all the other contestants who've tried to pull off this kind of intensity, and missed it (Kherington): THIS IS HOW YOU DO IT. Yes.
5. Courtney, solo: Knowing the results, I'm going to say that I think Courtney won over some votes with this solo. The song choice was going of genius ("I just want to rock your soul"--subliminal), and the turns and leaps were fabulous. Courtney danced this like a girl determined to stick around. And so, she did.
6. Mark, solo: Well, it was fun, and he finally got the "Shirt off = Votes" memo. But it wasn't as strong as Joshua's or Twitch's.
Chelsie & Twitch, hip hop: This song RULES, for a start. Janet Jackson + violins? OKAY. The routine concept is really clever and fun, too. Finally something I'd love to see on the tour! These two did a great job with this. A really fun couple.
Results
First, I love that blue color on Cat. The shape of the dress is iffy, but she's pulling it off.
Second, it seems like this season has been a little revealing, in terms of song choices by the choreographers. Like they're all trying to tell us, "FINE, alright, we listen to lite FM, we like Delilah, we like all the divas you're used to hearing solely at your dentist's office, and we don't care who knows it!" I mean, Bette Midler's "The Rose," for the final 6 group performance? Okay. What can we expect next week, "Wind Beneath My Wings?" "I Will Always Love You?" "My Heart Will F---ing Go On?"
All that said, I must admit that this routine is really pretty.
So, Adam Shankman is giving away a job as the grand prize? Does that mean Twitch is disqualified, since he's already worked on an Adam Shankman movie before? I mean.... that doesn't seem fair to me.
I really liked everything the judges said to the top six, though. Constructive, thoughtful, and really caring. Thanks, jidges.
The solos are adorable, especially Twitch's. Not as adorable as L'il Demon, though.
I don't think ANYTHING is as adorable as L'il Demon. Oh, my God. And standing next to tall supermodel Cat Deeley? Two kinds of adorable side by side! And then she picks him UP? And interviews him? It's too much Cute, I can't take it!!!!
By now we all know the results. And you know I think Chelsie is a better dancer than Courtney, but I have to say I kind of get this a little better than last week's Will Surprise. Or maybe by now I'm just used to the news. I'm very sad that Chelsie won't be in the finale (I cried after her going away package, even), but I'm actually a little proud of Courtney. I mean, she's in a finale with Joshua, Twitch, and Katee. That's an awesome achievement for someone I've come to think of as an underdog on this show. And I know I was baggin' hard on Mark when I thought he should have gone before Will, but I did love him. I'm going to miss him, too.
Oh, sigh. This show. It gets away with all kinds of shenanigans, and I still just love it so much.
Courtney & Mark, Waltz: Lovely. Great partnering, good character, lovely lines. I feel like these two have both really grown, and it's a pleasure to see the results of that growth in this dance.
1. Chelsie, solo: That dress, with the diamante boobs and the fluorescent green fringe is hideous, but her dancing is sensational, as always.
2. Twitch, solo: Gimmicky, but strong. Whatever weakness he's shown historically with other styles, he's strong, clever and musical in his solos.
Cat, though. You do not need to taste Twitch's spit to convince me that you are the World's Most Adorable Host EVER. I mean, that was funny & all? But. Damn, girl.
Katee & Joshua, Contemporary: With my old friend, Tasty. It's brilliant. They're both strong, lyrical, musical, and totally committed to the dance. The lifts in this are crazy hard, too. I worry that people will miss just how good these two are, when they make difficult routines like this look so easy. One of my favorite dances so far this season.
Chelsie & Twitch, Mambo: Chelsie is flat-out carrying Twitch in this routine, and he is doing that thing where, what he lacks in technique, he makes up in style. He telegraphs every hold and every turn, he made a face when he screwed up, he's kind of a mess. The judges let him off easy, because it was difficult? I don't get it. There were hardly any lifts, and for a TOP SIX DANCER he should be doing a pretty basic routine a bit more than "respectably" at this point.
Dear jidges,
Could you take a break from kissing the ass of every choreographer on the planet, and praising your own damn show for 2 seconds to actually, you know, critique the dancers?
Thanks!
D
(Yeah, Amy, you weren't kidding about them. It's really rather obnoxious.)
3. Katee, solo: Oh, Katee. You are just full of joy and awesomeness, and you're just trying to spread it all over the stage when you dance.
4. Joshua, solo: It's like he's trying to just give us examples of everything he can do: jumps, turns, breaking, popping, the works. Dude. You can do anything. I believe you.
Courtney & Mark, jazz: Ugh. With Sonja. Which... it's better than her past routines. Kind of fun, actually. She created good characters, and the couple really dove into them, which made it fun to watch. I wish, hmm. I thought it was fun, but I didn't really see the difficulty for the dancers? I think they did it really well, but I feel like the routine was a bit of a softball for them. (Jazz dancers, feel free to tell me what's up.)
Raise your hand if you think the judges are maybe trying to sell us Sonja as our Wade Robson replacement this season?
Kateee & Joshua, Paso Doble: OMG CHILLS!!! That was amazing!! That's it. Top two dancers, RIGHT HERE. This routine rocked my world. Oh, and a note to all the other contestants who've tried to pull off this kind of intensity, and missed it (Kherington): THIS IS HOW YOU DO IT. Yes.
5. Courtney, solo: Knowing the results, I'm going to say that I think Courtney won over some votes with this solo. The song choice was going of genius ("I just want to rock your soul"--subliminal), and the turns and leaps were fabulous. Courtney danced this like a girl determined to stick around. And so, she did.
6. Mark, solo: Well, it was fun, and he finally got the "Shirt off = Votes" memo. But it wasn't as strong as Joshua's or Twitch's.
Chelsie & Twitch, hip hop: This song RULES, for a start. Janet Jackson + violins? OKAY. The routine concept is really clever and fun, too. Finally something I'd love to see on the tour! These two did a great job with this. A really fun couple.
Results
First, I love that blue color on Cat. The shape of the dress is iffy, but she's pulling it off.
Second, it seems like this season has been a little revealing, in terms of song choices by the choreographers. Like they're all trying to tell us, "FINE, alright, we listen to lite FM, we like Delilah, we like all the divas you're used to hearing solely at your dentist's office, and we don't care who knows it!" I mean, Bette Midler's "The Rose," for the final 6 group performance? Okay. What can we expect next week, "Wind Beneath My Wings?" "I Will Always Love You?" "My Heart Will F---ing Go On?"
All that said, I must admit that this routine is really pretty.
So, Adam Shankman is giving away a job as the grand prize? Does that mean Twitch is disqualified, since he's already worked on an Adam Shankman movie before? I mean.... that doesn't seem fair to me.
I really liked everything the judges said to the top six, though. Constructive, thoughtful, and really caring. Thanks, jidges.
The solos are adorable, especially Twitch's. Not as adorable as L'il Demon, though.
I don't think ANYTHING is as adorable as L'il Demon. Oh, my God. And standing next to tall supermodel Cat Deeley? Two kinds of adorable side by side! And then she picks him UP? And interviews him? It's too much Cute, I can't take it!!!!
By now we all know the results. And you know I think Chelsie is a better dancer than Courtney, but I have to say I kind of get this a little better than last week's Will Surprise. Or maybe by now I'm just used to the news. I'm very sad that Chelsie won't be in the finale (I cried after her going away package, even), but I'm actually a little proud of Courtney. I mean, she's in a finale with Joshua, Twitch, and Katee. That's an awesome achievement for someone I've come to think of as an underdog on this show. And I know I was baggin' hard on Mark when I thought he should have gone before Will, but I did love him. I'm going to miss him, too.
Oh, sigh. This show. It gets away with all kinds of shenanigans, and I still just love it so much.
Being sick sucks mightily
I am SO TIRED of being sick, of not being able to think totally straight, of being tired all the time, I can't even tell you. I have SO MUCH TO DO this week. I do not have time for this. And it's just a stupid COLD, so I can only treat the symptoms, but the medicine makes me high & fuzzy, which isn't helping the whole "thinking straight" thing. It's all extremely frustrating, to desperately need to be able to focus and work, but to be constantly thinking through a vague, stuffy fog.
Plus I haven't had time to even watch So You Think You Can Dance.
Plus I haven't had time to blog my Comic Con experience, except to tell you that it literally made me sick and I hate it.
Plus I have all these personal projects to do this week for my mini college reunion this weekend (WHEN???).
Plus I desperately need to get back to the gym and jump-start my exercise schedule again.
But all I want to do is sleep and take Advil and watch movies.
Yes, I am whining. I don't do sick very well at all. Being sick sucks mightily. If y'all could send some healthy vibes my way, I'd surely appreciate them.
Plus I haven't had time to even watch So You Think You Can Dance.
Plus I haven't had time to blog my Comic Con experience, except to tell you that it literally made me sick and I hate it.
Plus I have all these personal projects to do this week for my mini college reunion this weekend (WHEN???).
Plus I desperately need to get back to the gym and jump-start my exercise schedule again.
But all I want to do is sleep and take Advil and watch movies.
Yes, I am whining. I don't do sick very well at all. Being sick sucks mightily. If y'all could send some healthy vibes my way, I'd surely appreciate them.
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